The Malta Labour Party (MLP) would beat the Nationalist Party if an election were held today, according to a Xarabank survey announced last night. Of the respondents, 37.9 per cent said they would vote Labour, 29.9 per cent for the PN, and 1.7 per cent for Alternattiva Demokratika. 30.5 per cent claimed they would not vote or were undecided.

The survey was carried out between February 19 and 22 was conducted by Malta Polls on behalf of Xarabank,
The Times of Malta reported. In all, 496 people were contacted for this survey, of whom 176 declined participation.

The estimated margin of error based on a sample size of 600 is about 4.5 per cent. If one were to eliminate those who were undecided or said they would not vote, the results show the majority (54.5 per cent) would vote for the MLP, 43.1 per cent would vote PN. AD's vote would stand at 2.4 per cent.

The issue bothering people most was the cost of living (17.5 per cent) and 7.9 per cent said nothing was bothering them. Just over five per cent cited lack of employment opportunities and 4.5 per cent mentioned the environment. Rather surprisingly, only 2.3 per cent mentioned the water and electricity bills as the issue bothering them most.

Asked whom they would trust as the country's leader, 37.9 per cent went for Labour leader Alfred Sant, 30.5 per cent preferred Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and 1.7 per cent opted for AD chairman Harry Vassallo.

In October 2006, a MaltaToday’s survey had revealed that Lawrence Gonzi remained the most trusted political leader among respondents but Labour leader Alfred Sant emerged as their preferred choice for the post of Prime Minister in the next elections. Alfred Sant had managed to narrow the trust gap which separated the two leaders since the start of the MaltaToday survey from 6.1 per cent in September to a sheer 1.4 per cent in October. In fact, when asked whether respondents believed the Prime Minister when saying the country was heading towards the right direction, 55 per cent replied no. This includes a substantial 19.5 per cent of those intending to vote for the PN in the next election. In fact, 31.6 per cent had said they preferred Gonzi as prime minister for the next elections, but 32.7per cent said they would prefer Sant. However, the electoral fortunes of the two political leaders hinged on the whims of the large number of respondents – 23.9 per cent – who insist that do not have any preference between the two contenders for the post of Prime Minister.

Earlier in June 2006, MaltaToday had published the results of another survey which had revealed that just under 7 per cent (6.6 per cent) of respondents seriously considering voting for either one of the two Maltese far right movements, the Maltese far right has become an electoral reality. The survey was carried out just a few days before Lowell’s arraignment in court for inciting racial hatred and offending the person of the President of the Republic, his second arraignment for incitement of racial hatred. 4.8 per cent of respondents would seriously consider voting for Norman Lowell’s movement while 4.7 would seriously consider voting for Martin Degiorgio’s Alleanza Nazzjonali Republikana if these two movements contest the next general election. The total sum of respondents seriously considering voting for either of the two far right movements amounts to 6.6 per cent.